Hogwarts reads the books: Part 1
by madmeg13
Summary: Professor Delores Umbridge is sent some books on her least favourite student. What should she do? Read them to the whole school of course!
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**I do not own the Harry Potter books or any if the characters included.**

**This is an individuals thought on how a reading of the books would be taken and is not in any way what J.K Rowling may have invisioned.**

Delores Umbridge sat in her office in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She looked down at the letter in her hand again:

_Dear Professor Umbridge,_

_As you can see these books in front of you portray Harry Potter's life story from his first to last year._

_I am sending you only parts of the volumes for the first three years as only these parts are significant._

_You wish to know the truth, these books are the truth._

_You must read these to the entire of Hogwarts school as well as:_

_Alastor Moody_

_The Weasely family_

_Fleur Declour_

_Mr and Mrs Diggory_

_Cornelius Fudge_

_Remus Lupin and his pet dog, Snuffles_

_Nymphadora Tonks_

_Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy_

_And the Dursely family. (the Muggle family Harry Potter lives with)_

_Begin your in two hours._

_Have fun, Professor. _

The letter wasn't signed.

Umbridge looked at the letter and then smiled. The boy's lies would now come out in front of everyone. She read the last part again. She had two hours to call everyone, smiling she began.


	2. Chapter 2: The heir of Slytherin

**I do not own the Harry Potter books or any if the characters included.**

**This is an individuals thought on how a reading of the books would be taken and is not in any way what J.K Rowling may have envisioned.**

The great hall was full of noise as Umbridge walked in. She was followed by others, among them was Mad eye Moody and the Weasely's. Harry Potter who had been talking to his best friend Ronald Weasley felt his stomach tighten as he saw Cedric Diggory's parents walk into the room as well.

As Umbridge reached the staff table she turned round to face her guests.

'Please will all our guests find somewhere to sit around the hall. Thank you.' She said in a sickly sweet voice.

The Weasley's instantly went over to their family at the Gryffindor table. The Malfoy's followed swiftly and moved towards the Slytherin table. Nearly all the other people followed the Weasley's including a large black dog. Left standing in the middle were Mr and Mrs Diggory who were looking around nervously. The Minister Cornelius Fudge went to the staff table and sat next to Umbridge.

'Amos?' asked Molly Weasley. Both the Diggory's looked relived as they made their way over. Mrs Diggory even managed a small smile towards the Weasley. Then she looked at Harry, instantly his stomach almost did a back flip as he looked at her. Taking a deep breath Mrs Diggory went straight over to him and pulled him into a hug.

'You did tell the truth didn't you? About my son?' she whispered.

Harry nodded sadly. He was happy that she believed him but he knew that it took her a lot to say it. If someone had been thought to be lying about how his son had died he wouldn't have been as kind.

She smiled slightly and her and her husband sat down next to the Weasely's. Everyone in the hall was watching the quiet exchange.

'Right well,' said Umbridge, 'I have called you all here today to read these books. They have been sent from a very valuable source who has said they speak the truth. Three of them are only in parts and then the rest are full. The books are called _**Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.'**_

The hall was deathly quiet for a few minutes and then it seemed to explode into chaos.

'Harry Potter?!'

'The Harry Potter!'

'Who sent them?'

Other things were yelled as well but Harry Potter wasn't listening he was thinking. The books were about him! People would be able to hear what he had seen. For a few minutes he was happy that people would finally see the truth but then he stopped. The books contained everything about him except he guessed his first year. He didn't understand why until he saw them walk in. Vernon, Petunia and Dudley Dursley. Whoever sent the books must have known they'd be here, they must be in the books too. He was very thankful the person who had sent everything had missed out him being looked in a cupboard for ten years. Cedric...his parents would have to read about his death. He shuddered slightly and felt Hermione who was sitting next to him grab his hand under the table. He looked up at her and smiled slightly to show he was ok.

'Right now our last guests are here I think we should begin.' With a wave of her wand chairs appeared for the Dursley's to sit on which they did, though they took time doing it.

'I shall read first yes? Hem, hem.** Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 17, The Heir of Slytherin.'**

'The Heir of Slytherin?' yelled a 1st year Ravenclaw.

'Where are the other chapters!' yelled a 4th year Hufflepuff.

'They are obviously not relevant now be quiet.' said Umbridge.

'**He was standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.**

**His heart was beating very fast; Harry stood listening to the chill silence. Could the Basilisk be lurking in a shadowy corner, behind a pillar?'**

'A what?' said a 1st year Gryffindor but everyone else looked terrified. If this was about the chamber of secrets then it had to be about that year, when all the students were attacked.

'**And where was Ginny?**

**He pulled out his wand and moved forward between the serpentine columns. Every careful footstep echoed loudly off the shadowy walls. He kept his eyes narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at any sort f movement. The hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes seemed to be following him. More than once, with a jolt of the stomach he thought he saw one stir.'**

'Nervous Potter!' yelled Pansy Parkinson from the Slytherin table. Harry ignored her.

'**Then, as he drew level with the last pillar, a state as high as the chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall.**

**Harry had to crane his neck to look up into the giant face above: it was ancient and monkey-like, with a long thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous grey feet stood on the smooth chamber floor. And between the feet, face down; lay a small, black-robed figure with flaming red hair.'**

Everyone's eyes flicked towards the Weasley's, where Mrs. Weasley was hugging her daughter tightly.

'_**Ginny!'**_

Everyone gasped, even the Dursley's at the thought of the little girl lying in a place like that.

'**Harry muttered, sprinting to her and dropping to his knees. 'Ginny! Don't be dead! Please don't be dead!' He flung his wand aside, grabbed Ginny's shoulders and turned her over. Her face was white as marble, and as cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't petrified. But then she must be...'**

Mrs Weasley grip tightened and Hermione and Harry saw Ginny flinch as the pressure on her arm increased even more.

'**Ginny, please wake up,' Harry muttered desperately, shaking her. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side.**

'**She won't wake,' said a soft voice.**

**Harry jumped and spun around on his knees.**

**A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Harry was looking at him through a misted window. But there was no mistaking him.**

'**Tom-**_**Tom Riddle?'**_

The people familiar with the name gasped slightly whilst the others just looked confused.

'**Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off Harry's face.**

'**What d'you mean, she won't wake?' Harry said desperately. 'She's not – she's not-?'**

'**She's still alive,' said Riddle. 'But only just.'**

**Harry stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago, yet here he stood, a weird, misty light shining about him, not a day older than sixteen.**

'**Are you a ghost?' Harry asked uncertainly.**

'**A memory,' said Riddle quietly. 'Preserved in a diary for fifty years.'**

**He pointed towards the floor near the statue's giant toes. Lying open there was a little black diary Harry had found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. For a second he wondered how it had got there- but there were more pressing matters to deal with.**

'**You've got to help me, Tom,' Harry said, raisings Ginny's head again. 'We've got to get her out of here. There's a Basilisk... I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment. Please, help me...'**

'You asked _him_ for help!' said Ron staring with his mouth open at Harry.

'I didn't know who he was at that point.'

'**Riddle didn't move. Harry, sweating, managed to hoist Ginny half off the floor, and bent down to pick up his wand again.**

**But his wand had gone.'**

'What!' yelled half the hall, even Dudley and Petunia looked slightly concerned. Vernon just looked angry he was there.

'**Did you see-?'**

**He looked up. Riddle was still watching him- twirling Harry's wand between his long fingers.**

'**Thanks,' said Harry, stretching out his hand for it.**

**A smile curled the corners of Riddle's mouth. He continued to stare at Harry, twirling the wand idly.**

'**Listen,' said Harry urgently, his knees sagging under Ginny's dead weight, '**_**We've got to go**_**! If the Basilisk comes...'**

'It won't come until it's called.' Said Luna Lovegood dreamily. Everyone ignored her.

'**It won't come until it's called,' said Riddle calmly.**

Slowly everyone's heads turned to look at Luna who was sitting there playing with her wand.

'How'd you know he was going to say that?' asked Lavender Brown.

'I didn't.' Said Luna. It was silent for a few minutes before Umbridge shook herself and carried on reading.

'**Harry lowered Ginny back onto the floor, unable to hold her up any longer.**

'**What d'you mean?' he said, 'Look, give me my wand, I might need it.'**

**Riddle's smile broadened.**

'**You won't be needing it,' he said.**

**Harry stared at him.**

'**What d'you mean I won't be-?'**

'**I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter,' said Riddle. 'For the chance to see you. To speak to you.'**

'**Look,' said Harry, losing patience, 'I don't think you get it. We're in the **_**Chamber of Secrets.**_** We can talk later.'**

'**We're going to talk now,' said Riddle, still smiling broadly, and he pocketed Harry's wand.**

**Harry stared at him, there was something very funny going on here.'**

'Really Harry you just realised this!' said the twins shaking their heads. Some people laughed and the tension which had grown in the room relaxed a little.

'**How did Ginny get like this?' he asked slowly.**

'**Well that's an interesting question,' said Riddle pleasantly. 'And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this id because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger.'**

'**What are you talking about?' asked Harry.**

'**The diary,' said Riddle. 'My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes: how her brother **_**tease**_** her, how she had to come to school in second hand robes, how-' Riddle's eyes glinted '-how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her...'**

Snickering began at the Slytherin table but was quickly silenced by a look off Professor McGonagall.

'**All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left Harry's face. There was an almost hungry look in them.**

'**It's very **_**boring**_**, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl,' he went on. 'But I was patient. I wrote back, I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. **_**No one's ever understood me like you, Tom... I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in... It's like having a friend I can carry round in my pocket...'**_

Luna Lovegood sat thoughtfully. She could understand Ginny's reasoning. Ginny was her only true friend and she knew she would have done the same if she had found the diary.

'**Riddle laughed a high cold cruel laugh that didn't suit him. It made the hairs stand up on the back of Harry's neck.**

'**If I say so myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul is exactly what I wanted. I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasely a few of **_**my**_** secrets, to start pouring a little of **_**my **_**soul back into **_**her...**_**'**

'**What d'you mean?' said Harry, whose mouth had gone very dry.**

'**Haven't you guessed yet Harry Potter?' said Riddle softly. 'Ginny Weasely opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods and the Squibs cat.'**

The hall was very silent until Fudge looked straight at Ginny and said:

'Arrest her.'

Suddenly there was uproar. The entire Gryffindor table had stood with wands pointed at Fudge, who looked slightly taken aback. Sltyehrin's, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaw's were all yelling at each other.

'Silence!' yelled Dumbledore. 'Minister, Miss Weasely did not do these things consciously; as I am sure this book can show you.'

The minister looked about to protest but the amount of glares coming from the Weasely's alone would have broke a lesser man. He nodded his head slightly and as everyone sat down he motioned to Umbridge to keep reading.

'**No,' Harry whispered.**

'**Yes,' said Riddle, calmly. 'Of course she didn't know what she was doing at first.'**

Everyone stared pointedly at Fudge who sighed but nodded.

'**It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries... Far more interesting, they became...**_** Dear Tom,' **_**He recited, watching Harry's horrified face, '**_**I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and I don't know how they got there. Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front. Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself. I think he suspects me... There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad... I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!'**_

**Harry's fists were clenched, the nails digging deep into his palms.**

'**It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop trusting her diary,' said Riddle. 'But she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. And that's where you came in, Harry. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could've picked it up, it was **_**you**_**, the very person I was most anxious to meet...'**

'**And why did you want to meet me?' said Harry. Anger was coursing through him and it was an effort to keep his voice steady.'**

'Calm down Harry.' Muttered Lupin. Staring intently at the book, all the order members knew exactly who Tom Riddle really was.

'**Well you see, Ginny told me all about you, Harry,' said Riddle. 'Your whole fascinating history.' His eyes roved over the lightening scar on Harry's forehead, and his expression grew hungrier. 'I knew I must find out more about you, talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust.'**

'**Hagrid's my friend,' said Harry, his voice now shaking. 'And you framed him, didn't you? I thought you made a mistake, but-'**

**Riddle laughed his high laugh again.**

'**It was my word against Hagrid's, Harry. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On the one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but so **_**brave**_**, school prefect, model student; on the other hand Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the forbidden forest to wrestle trolls. But I admit, even I was surprised how well the plan worked out. I thought **_**someone**_** must realise that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken**_** me**_** five whole years to discover everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance... as though Hagrid had the brains, or the power!'**

'He wasn't as smart as he thought he was.' Everyone turned to Luna, 'It took him five years to figure out what Harry, Ron and Hermione figured out in weeks.' She said dreamily.

Harry was taken aback a bit but smiled at Luna, who smiled back and then carried on messing with her wand.

'**Only the transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as a gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed. Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did...'**

'I bet Dumbledore saw right threw you!' yelled Neville angrily. Some others nodded in agreement.

'**I bet Dumbledore saw right threw you,' said Harry, his teeth gritted.'**

Both he and Neville looked at each other and burst out laughing.

'**Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled,' said Riddle carelessly. ' I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again whilst I was still at school. But I wasn't going to waste those long years I'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work.'**

'**Well you haven't finished it,' said Harry triumphantly. 'No one's died this time, not even the cat. In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was petrified will be all right again.'**

'**Haven't I already told you,' said Riddle quietly, 'that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now, my new target had been- **_**you**_**.'**

You could've heard a pin drop in the great hall now. Event the Dursley's and Slytherins were holding there breath.

'**Harry stared at him.**

'**Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to me, not you. She saw you with the diary, you see, and panicked. What if you found out how to work it, and I repeated all her secrets to you? What if, even worse, I told you who'd been strangling the roosters? So the foolish brat waited until your dormitory was deserted and stole it back. But I knew what to do. It was clear to me that you were on the trail to Slytherin's heir. Form everything Ginny had told me about you, I knew you would go to any lengths to solve the mystery-particularly if one of your best friends was attacked. And Ginny ahd told me the whole school was buzzing because you could speak Parseltongue...'**

'**So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried and became very boring. But there isn't much life left in her: she put too much into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave its pages at last. I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Harry Potter.'**

'**Like what?' Harry spat, fists still clenched.**

'**Well,' said Riddle, smiling pleasantly 'how is it that a baby with no extraordinary magical talent managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, whilst Lord Voldermort's powers were destroyed?'**

**There was an odd red gleam in his hungry eyes now.**

'**Why do you care how I escaped?' said Harry slowly. 'Voldermort was before your time.'**

'Voldermort is his past, present and future.' Said Luna, twirling her wand around.

'**Voldermort,' said Riddle softly, 'is my past, present and future, Harry Potter...'**

Everyone turned to stare open mouthed al Luna who didn't seem phased in the slightest that she had just quoted the same person twice.

'Miss Lovegood,' said Dumbledore, looking amused and shocked at the same time, 'how did you know what Tom Riddle was going to say?'

'The wrackspurts told me Professor.' Said Luna smiling. People stared at her for a long time before Umbridge carried on reading.

'**He pulled out Harry's wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:**

**TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE**

**Then he waved the wand once, and the letters rearranged themselves:**

**I AM LORD VOLDERMORT**

Many gasps were heard around the room. Petunia Dursley was included in this, she knew who Voldermort was. Dumbledore and Lily had told her in letters, and now her nephew was standing in a room with him at the age of twelve! She didn't look at Vernon or Dudley as she thought this for fear that they could see the worry in her eyes but she glanced over at Harry. He's obviously survived if he was sitting there, but she couldn't escape the fear rising in her stomach.

'Voldermort is dead!' yelled Umbridge, 'This must be a lie!' she threw the book to the ground and suddenly a deathly cold filled the room, and a voice spoke.

'These books speak no lies, Delores. I have told you this. You will read these books. All must here the truth to prevent the future from occurring. You will READ!' screamed the books. Umbridge toppled off her chair at the intensity of the shout. Professor McGonagall reached for the book and as soon as she picked it up the room became warm once more. Sitting straight, she began to read.

'**You see?' he whispered. 'It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate of friends only, of course. You think I was going to keep my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins run the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Harry. I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards would one day fear to speak, when I became the greatest sorcerer in the world!'**

**Harry's brain seemed to have jammed. He stared numbly at Riddle, at the orphaned boy who had grown up to murder Harry's own parents and so many others... At last he forced himself to speak.**

'**You're not,' he said, his quiet voice full of hatred.**

'**Not what?' snapped Riddle.**

'**Not the greatest sorcerer in the world,' said Harry, breathing fact. 'Sorry to disappoint you, and all that, but the greatest sorcerer in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even when you were strong you never dared try and take over Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days.'**

**The smile was gone from Riddles face, to be replaced by a very ugly look.**

'**Dumbledore was driven out of this castle by the mere **_**memory**_** of me!' he hissed.**

'**He's not as gone as you might think!' Harry retorted. He was speaking at random, wanting to scare Riddle, wishing rather believing it was true.**

Dumbledore chuckled slightly at this. He was deeply touched to hear how much Harry believed in him.

**Riddle opened his mouth, but froze.**  
**Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty Chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on Harry's scalp and made his heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size. Then, as the music reached such a pitch that Harry felt it****vibrating****inside his own ribs, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar.**  
**A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.**

'Fawkes!' yelled a few people who new of the bird.

**A second later, the bird was flying straight at Harry. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at his feet, then landed heavily on his shoulder. As it folded its great wings, Harry looked up and saw it had a long, sharp golden beak and a beady black eye.**  
**The bird stopped singing. It sat still and warm next to Harry's cheek, gazing steadily at Riddle.**

'**That's a phoenix.' said Riddle, staring shrewdly back at it.**

'**Fawkes?' Harry breathed, and he felt the bird's golden claws squeeze his shoulder gently.**

'**And that –' said Riddle, now eyeing the ragged thing that Fawkes had dropped, 'that's the old school Sorting Hat—'**

**So it was. Patched, frayed, and dirty, the hat lay motionless at Harry's feet.**

**Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that the dark chamber rang with it, as though ten Riddles were laughing at once.**

'**This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harry Potter? Do you feel safe now?'**

Many people in the great hall bitterly thought Riddle had a point how was a hat and a bird going to help him?

'**Harry didn't answer. He might not see what use Fawkes or the Sorting Hat were, but he was no longer alone, and he waited for Riddle to stop laughing with his courage mounting.**

'**To business, Harry,' said Riddle, still smiling broadly. 'Twice - in your past, in my future - we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk,' he added softly, 'the longer you stay alive.'**

Snuffles, whom everyone had almost forgotten about, began to growl loudly at Harry's side and it took a few minuets to calm him down.

'**Harry was thinking fast, weighing his chances. Riddle had the wand. He, Harry, had Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, neither of which would be much good in a duel. It looked bad, all right... but the longer Riddle stood there, the more life was dwindling out of Ginny... and in the meantime, Harry noticed suddenly, Riddle's outline was becoming clearer, more solid... If it had to be a fight between him and Riddle, better sooner than later.**

'**No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked me,' said Harry abruptly. 'I don't know myself. But I know why you couldn't kill me. Because my mother died to save me. My common Muggle-born mother,' he added,**'

Everyone was looking at him, curiosity and pity on all there faces. He felt Hermione squeeze his hand again.

'**Shaking with suppressed rage. 'She stopped you killing me. And I've seen the real you, I saw you last year. You're a wreck. You're barely alive. That's where all your power got you. You're in hiding. You're ugly, you're foul—'**

**Riddle's face contorted. Then he forced it into an awful smile. 'So. Your mother died to save you. Yes, that's a powerful countercharm. I can see now... there is nothing special about you, after all. I wondered, you see. There are strange likenesses between us, after all. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans, raised by Muggles. Probably the only two Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself. We even look something alike...**'

'You're nothing like him Harry!' yelled Lupin, Tonks, Neville, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and nearly half of the school.

'**But after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you from me. That's all I wanted to know."**  
** Harry stood, tense, waiting for Riddle to raise his wand. But Riddle's twisted smile was widening again.**

'**Now, Harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldermort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Harry Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him...'**

**He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, then walked away. Harry, fear spreading up his numb legs, watched Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, high above him in the half-darkness. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed - but Harry understood what he was saying.**

'**Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four.'**

**Harry wheeled around to look up at the statue, Fawkes swaying on his shoulder.**

**Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. Horrorstruck, Harry saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole.**

**And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths.**

**Harry backed away until he hit the dark Chamber wall, and as he shut his eyes tight he felt Fawkes' wing sweep his cheek as he took flight. Harry wanted to shout, "Don't leave me!" but what chance did a phoenix have against the king of serpents?**

**Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. Harry felt it shudder - he knew what was happening, he could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth. Then he heard Riddle's hissing voice:**

'**Kill him.'**

**The basilisk was moving toward Harry; he could hear its heavy body slithering heavily across the dusty floor. Eyes still tightly shut, Harry began to run****blindly**** sideways, his hands outstretched, feeling his way - Voldermort was laughing.**

**Harry tripped. He fell hard onto the stone and tasted blood the serpent was barely feet from him, he could hear it coming.**

**There was a loud, explosive spitting sound right above him, and then something heavy hit Harry so hard that he was smashed into the wall. Waiting for fangs to sink through his body he heard more mad hissing, something thrashing wildly off the pillars.'**

The tension in the great hall could have been cut with a knife.

'**He couldn't help it - he opened his eyes wide enough to squint at what was going on.**  
**The enormous serpent, bright, poisonous green, thick as an oak trunk, had raised itself high in the air and its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between the pillars. As Harry trembled, ready to close his eyes if it turned, he saw what had distracted the snake.**  
** Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and thin as sabres Fawkes dived. His long golden beak sank out of sight and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the floor. The snake's tail thrashed, narrowly missing Harry, and before Harry could shut his eyes, it turned - Harry looked straight into its face'**

'No!' screamed the hall, which made Harry laugh.

'Not dead guys remember?' said Harry smiling everyone nodded and Harry noticed Dudley was watching him.

With a slight strain in her voice Professor McGonagall carried on.

'**And saw that its eyes, both its great, bulbous yellow eyes, had been punctured by the phoenix; blood was streaming to the floor, and the snake was spitting in agony.**

**"NO!" Harry heard Riddle screaming. "LEAVE THE BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU. YOU CAN STILL SMELL HIM. KILL HIM!"**

**The****blinded****serpent swayed, confused, still deadly. Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, jabbing here and there at its scaly nose as the blood poured from its ruined eyes.**

'**Help me, help me,' Harry muttered wildly, 'someone - anyone...'**

**The snake's tail whipped across the floor again. Harry ducked. Something soft hit his face.**

**The basilisk had swept the Sorting Hat into Harry's arms. Harry seized it. It was all he had left, his only chance - he rammed it onto his head and threw himself flat onto the floor as the basilisk's tail swung over him again.**

'**Help me - help me-'Harry thought, his eyes screwed tight under the hat. 'Please help me .'**

**There was no answering voice. Instead, the hat contracted, as though an invisible hand was squeezing it very tightly.**

**Something very hard and heavy thudded onto the top of Harry's head, almost knocking him out. Stars winking in front of his eyes, he grabbed the top of the hat to pull it off and felt something long and hard beneath it.**

**A gleaming silver sword had appeared inside the hat, its handle glittering with rubies the size of eggs.'**

'NO WAY!' yelled a 7th year Gryffindor, 'You found the sword of Gryffindor!'

'**KILL THE BOY! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU. SNIFF - SMELL HIM.'**  
** Harry was on his feet, ready. The basilisk's head was falling, its body coiling around, hitting pillars as it twisted to face him. He could see the vast, bloody eye sockets, see the mouth stretching wide, wide enough to swallow him whole, lined with fangs long as his sword, thin, glittering, venomous. It lunged****blindly****- Harry dodged and it hit the Chamber wall. It lunged again, and its forked tongue lashed Harry's side.**

**He raised the sword in both his hands-**  
**The basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was true - Harry threw his whole weight behind the sword and drove it to the hilt into the****roof****of the serpent's mouth-**  
**But as warm blood drenched Harry's arms, he felt a searing pain just above his elbow. One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into his arm.'**

'No!' screeched Petunia Dursely, Molly Weasely and half the great hall. Everyone looked deathly pale but Harry wasn't watching them he was watching his Aunt cry over him. She cared? Harry had never imagined she would care if something happened to him, and Dudley was deathly pale staring at Harry intently. He cared too? Only Uncle Vernon was still scowling at being there.

'**And it splintered as the basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching, to the floor.**  
**Harry slid down the wall. He gripped the fang that was spreading poison through his body and wrenched it out of his arm. But he knew it was too late. White-hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily from the wound. Even as he dropped the fang and watched his own blood soaking his robes, his vision went foggy.**

**The Chamber was dissolving in a whirl of dull colour. A patch of scarlet swam past, and Harry heard a soft clatter of claws beside him.**

**"Fawkes," said Harry thickly. "You were fantastic, Fawkes..."**

**He felt the bird lay its beautiful head on the spot where the serpent's fang had pierced him.**  
**He could hear echoing footsteps and then a dark shadow moved in front of him.**

'**You're dead, Harry Potter,' said Riddle's voice above him. 'Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing, Potter? He's crying.'**

**Harry blinked. Fawkes's head slid in and out of focus. Thick, pearly tears were trickling down the glossy feathers.**

'**I'm going to sit here and watch you die, Harry Potter. Take your time. I'm in no hurry.'**

**Harry felt drowsy. Everything around him seemed to be****spinning**

'**So ends the famous Harry Potter,' said Riddle's distant voice. 'Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, forsaken by his friends, defeated at last by the Dark Lord he so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your dear Mudblood mother** **soon, Harry... She bought you twelve years of borrowed time... but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must..."**

_ '**If this is dying,**_**' ****thought Harry, '**_**it's not so bad.**_**Even the pain was leaving him...'**

**But was this dying? Instead of going black, the Chamber seemed to be coming back into focus. Harry gave his head a little shake and there was Fawkes, still resting his head on Harry's arm. A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound - except that there was no wound.'**

Gasps of relief swam through the entire hall at this.

'**Get away, bird,' said Riddle's voice suddenly. 'Get away from him - I said, get away—'**

**Harry raised his head. Riddle was pointing Harry's wand at Fawkes; there was a bang like a gun, and Fawkes took flight again in a whirl of gold and scarlet.**

'**Phoenix tears... said Riddle quietly, staring at Harry's arm. 'Of course... healing powers... I forgot...'**

'I told you he wasn't very bright.' Said Luna smiling again.

'**He looked into Harry's face. 'But it makes no difference. In fact, I prefer it this way. Just you and me, Harry Potter... you and me...'**  
** He raised the wand...**

**Then, in a rush of wings, Fawkes had soared back overhead and something fell into Harry's lap - the diary.**

**For a split second, both Harry and Riddle, wand still raised, stared at it. Then, without thinking, without considering, as though he had meant to do it all along,** **Harry seized the basilisk fang on the floor next to him and plunged it straight into the heart of the book.**

**There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Harry's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then... **

**He had gone. Harry's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and there was silence. Silence except for the steady drip drip of ink still oozing from the diary. The basilisk venom had burned a sizzling hole right through it.**

**Shaking all over, Harry pulled himself up. His head ****was**** spinning****as though he'd just traveled miles by Floo powder. Slowly, he gathered together his wand and the Sorting Hat, and, with a huge tug, retrieved the glittering sword from the roof of the basilisk's mouth.**

**Then came a faint moan from the end of the Chamber. Ginny was stirring. As Harry hurried toward her, she sat up. Her bemused eyes travelled from the huge form of the dead basilisk, over Harry, in his blood-soaked robes, then to the diary in his hand.'**

'I thought I was dreaming...' said Ginny going red. 'I didn't think you'd come.'

The Weasley's grabbed her shoulders and smiled warmilngly at her. Harry was shocked of course he's have come for her, how could she think otherwise?

'**She drew a great, shuddering gasp and tears began to pour down her face.**

'**Harry - oh, Harry - I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy - it was me, Harry - but I - I s-swear I d-didn't mean to - R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over - and - how did you kill that - that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the diary...'**

'**It's all right,' said Harry, holding up the diary, and showing Ginny the fang hole, 'Riddle's finished. Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, let's get out of here...'**

'**I'm going to be expelled!' Ginny wept as Harry helped her awkwardly to her feet. 'I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and - w-what'll Mum and Dad say?.**

**Fawkes was waiting for them, hovering in the Chamber entrance. Harry urged Ginny forward; they stepped over the motionless coils of the dead basilisk, through the echoing gloom, and back into the tunnel. Harry heard the stone doors close behind them with a soft hiss.'**

Everyone waited.

'Well!' shouted some people.

'I am afraid that is all there is here.' Said Professor McGonagall.

'What!' said everyone, looking extremely annoyed.

'Wait, there is a note:

_Dear Hogwarts Students and Guests,_

_The rest of this chapter is not added and instead you will move on to the parts of The Prisoner of Azkaban._

_Whilst these chapters hold nothing about Voldermort they will however spread some light on a man accused of a crime he did not commit._

_Therefore they are relevant, somewhat to the story._

_Also I forgot to inform you that the last two and a bit books occur in the future._

_A future I hope to change._

Everyone was silent and then whispers broke out in the hall once more.


	3. Chapter 3: Cat, Rat and Dog

**I do not own the Harry Potter books or any if the characters included.**

**This is an individuals thought on how a reading of the books would be taken and is not in any way what J.K Rowling may have envisioned.**

'Silence!' called McGonagall. 'Now it seems we must carry on so does anyone wish to read next.'

'I will,' said a quite voice, everyone turned to see Dudley Dursley standing up. 'I'll read next.'

Harry was beyond shocked as he watched his cousin waddle up and take the book from McGonagall. He looked over to his Aunt and Uncle. Petunia looked proud of her son for stepping up, but Vernon looked like he was about to explode. Dudley sat down on the steps at the front and began to read.

'**Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 17, Cat Rat and Dog.**

**Harry's mind had gone blank with shock. The three of them stood transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind them, they heard a wild howling.'**

Everyone looked curious but Ron, Hermione, Lupin and Harry had all stiffened. This was about Sirius, people would see through his disguise. The dos in question whined softly at Harry's feet.

'**Hagrid,' Harry muttered. Without thinking about what he was doing, he made to turn back, but both Ron and Hermione seized his arms. **

'**We can't,' said Ron, who was paper-white. 'He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him…'**

**Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven. **

'**How — could — they?' she choked. 'How could they?'**

'**Come on,' said Ron, whose teeth seemed to be chattering. **

**They set off back toward the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves hidden under the cloak. The light was fading fast now. **

**By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them. **

'**Scabbers, keep still,' Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!'**

There was some soft chuckling around the room at this and loud laughter from the Slytherin table.

'**Ron, be quiet!' Hermione whispered urgently. 'Fudge'll be out here in a minute-'**

'**He won't — stay — put —'**

**Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip. **

'**What's the matter with him?' **

**But Harry had just seen — stinking toward them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness — Crookshanks. Whether he could see them or was following the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, Harry couldn't tell. **

'**Crookshanks!' Hermione moaned. 'No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!'**

**But the cat was getting nearer -**

'**Scabbers - NO!'**

**Too late — the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him, and before Harry or Hermione could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.'**

'You have an Invisibility cloak!' yelled the twins.

'Ummmm, yes.' Harry said looking down. The twins smiled evily.

'Wicked!'

'**Ron! Hermione moaned. **

**She and Harry looked at each other, then followed at a sprint; it was impossible to run full out under the cloak; they pulled it off and it streamed behind them like a banner as they hurtled after Ron; they could hear his feet thundering along ahead and his shouts at Crookshanks. **

'**Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —' **

**There was a loud thud. **

'**Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —' **

**Harry and Hermione almost fell over Ron; they skidded to a stop right in front of him. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump. **

'**Ron — come on back under the cloak —'Hermione panted. 'Dumbledore — the Minister — they'll be coming back out in a minute –'**

**But before they could cover themselves again, before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws… Something was bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow — an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.'**

Everyone in the hall turned to Sirius who growled slightly. Lavender Brown was visibly shaking and muttering to Parvita Patel who was sitting next to her.

'**Harry reached for his wand, but too late — the dog had made an enormous leap and the front paws hit him on the chest; he keeled over backward in a whirl of hair; he felt its hot breath, saw inch-long teeth — **

**But the force of its leap had carried it too far; it rolled off him. Dazed, feeling as though his ribs were broken, Harry tried to stand up; he could hear it growling as it skidded around for a new attack. **

**Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed Harry aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm. Harry lunged forward, he seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll — **

**Then, out of nowhere, something hit Harry so hard across the face he was knocked off his feet again. He heard Hermione shriek with pain and fall too.'**

There were gasps as everyone wondered what had hit them but Molly Weasley wasn't paying attention, she was staring at the dog with such a glare that it whimpered and retreated a few steps away from her.

'**Harry groped for his wand, blinking blood out of his eyes 'Lumos!' he whispered. **

**The wandlight showed him the trunk of a thick tree; they had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping backward and forward to stop them going nearer. **

**And there, at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Ron backward into a large gap in the roots — Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight — **

'**Ron!' Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and he was forced backward again. **

**All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground — but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron's leg had broken, and a moment later, his foot vanished from sight.'**

Everyone visibly flinched and Molly Weasley stood up.

'You broke my sons LEG!' she screeched at the dog that was backing up even further.

'Mom I'm fine...' Ron muttered his ears going red.

'How dare you! He better be ok, and the others! The Whomping Willow! Really Siri-' Mrs Weasely caught herself. Even she knew better than to yell Sirius in a hall filled with people who thought he was a murderer.

'I think you better show yourself Sirius' said Dumbledore, a strange twinkle in his eye. 'You going to show yourself in the book either way.'

Suddenly the dog transformed, in its place was a man. Screams issued around the great hall.

'Sirius Black!'

'Get him!'

'Murderer!'

Suddenly Harry stood up and walked over to his Godfather.

'Sirius is innocent. If he was guilty do you think I would be standing next to him?' he said loudly. That caught people up short. Why would _Harry Potter_ be standing next to _Sirius Black_ if he wasn't innocent? 'Carry on Dudley.' Harry motioned to his cousin. Dudley nodded, knowing it wasn't his place to argue.

'**Harry — we've got to go for help —' Hermione gasped; she was bleeding too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder. **

'**No! That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time —'**

'**Harry — we're never going to get through without help —'**

**Another branch whipped down at them, twigs clenched like knuckles. **

'**If that dog can get in, we can,' Harry panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches, but he couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree's blows. **

'**Oh, help, help,' Hermione whispered frantically, dancing uncertainly on the spot, 'Please…'**

**Crookshanks darted forward. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk. Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook. **

"**Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered uncertainly. She now grasped Harry's arm painfully hard. **

"**How did he know —?" **

"**He's friends with that dog," said Harry grimly. "I've seen them together. Come on — and keep your wand out —" **

**They covered the distance to the trunk in seconds, but before they had reached the gap in the roots, Crookshanks had slid into it with a flick of his bottlebrush tail. Harry went next; he crawled forward, headfirst, and slid down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel. Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from Harry's wand. Seconds later, Hermione slithered down beside him. **

"**Where's Ron?" she whispered in a terrified voice. **

"**This way," said Harry, setting off, bent-backed, after Crookshanks. **

"**Where does this tunnel come out?" Hermione asked breathlessly from behind him. **

'**I don't know… It's marked on the Marauder's Map but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it… It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade…'**

**They moved as fast as they could, bent almost double; ahead of them, Crookshanks's tail bobbed in and out of view. On and on went the passage; it felt at least as long as the one to Honeydukes… All Harry could think of was Ron and what the enormous dog might be doing to him… He was drawing breath in sharp, painful gasps, running at a crouch… **

**And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Crookshanks had gone. Ahead Harry could see a patch of dim light through a small opening. **

**He and Hermione paused, gasping for breath, edging forward. Both raised their wands to see what lay beyond. **

**It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up. **

**Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked very frightened but nodded. Harry pulled himself out of the hole, staring around. The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's arm again. **

**Her wide eyes were travelling around the boarded windows. **

'**Harry,' she whispered, 'I think we're in the Shrieking Shack.'**

There were gasps all around the room at this.

'But...It's haunted.' Squeaked Neville looking very pale.

'No it's not.' Said Luna matter-of-factly. She was still twirling her wand and was looking at Sirius intently.

'How'd you know?' asked Hannah Abbot, but Luna didn't answer her. She just kept twirling her wand around.

'**Harry looked around. His eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out of it; one of the legs had been ripped off entirely. **

'**Ghosts didn't do that,' he said slowly. **

**At that moment, there was a creak overhead. Something had moved upstairs. Both of them looked up at the ceiling. Hermione's grip on Harry's arm was so tight he was losing feeling in his fingers. He raised his eyebrows at her; she nodded again and let go. **

**Quietly as they could, they crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, where a wide shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs. **

**They reached the dark landing. **

'**Nox,' they whispered together, and the lights at the end of their wands went out. Only one door was open. As they crept toward it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan, and then a deep, loud purring. They exchanged a last look, a last nod. Wand held tightly before him, Harry kicked the door wide open. **

**On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle,'**

Here Mrs Weasely growled menacingly and everyone shuffled away from her slightly.

'**was Ron. **

**Harry and Hermione dashed across to him. **

'**Ron — are you okay?' **

'**Where's the dog?'**

'**Not a dog,' Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. 'Harry, it's a trap —' **

'**What —' **

'**He's the dog… he's an Animagus.'**

**Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder. Harry wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them. **

**A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black. **

'**Expelliarmus!' he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them. **

**Harry's and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Harry. **

"**I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. **

**His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful… it will make everything much easier…" **

**The taunt about his father rang in Harry's ears as though Black had bellowed it. A boiling hate erupted in Harry's chest, leaving no place for fear. For the first time in his life, he wanted his wand back in his hand, not to defend himself, but to attack… to kill. Without knowing what he was doing, he started forward, but there was a sudden movement on either side of him and two pairs of hands grabbed him and held him back…**

'**No, Harry!' Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper; Ron, however, spoke to Black. **

'**If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!' he said fiercely, though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke. **

**Something flickered in Black's shadowed eyes. **

'**Lie down,' he said quietly to Ron. 'You will damage that leg even more.'**

'See Molly, I did care!' said Sirius, Ron smiled at him but Mrs Weasely just sighed and nodded.

"**Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. **

"**You'll have to kill all three of us!" **

"**There'll be only one murder here tonight," said Black, and his grin widened. **

"**Why's that?" Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free of Ron, and Hermione. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew… What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?" **

'**Harry!' Hermione whimpered. 'Be quiet!' **

'**HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!' Harry roared, and with a huge effort he broke free of Hermione's and Ron's restraint and lunged forward — **

**He had forgotten about magic — he had forgotten that he was short and skinny and thirteen, whereas Black was a tall, full-grown man — all Harry knew was that he wanted to hurt Black as badly as he could and that he didn't care how much he got hurt in return — **

**Perhaps it was the shock of Harry doing something so stupid, but Black didn't raise the wands in time — one of Harry's hands fastened over his wasted wrist, forcing the wand tips away; the knuckles of Harry's other hand collided with the side of Black's head and they fell, backward, into the wall — **

**Hermione was screaming; Ron was yelling; there was a blinding flash as the wands in Black's hand sent a jet of sparks into the air that missed Harry's face by inches; Harry felt the shrunken arm under his fingers twisting madly, but he clung on, his other hand punching every part of Black it could find. **

**But Black's free hand had found Harry's throat.'**

'Sirius!' scolded Tonks looking shocked, 'Your not doing very well at making them trust you.' Sirius looked down, ashamed. Harry grabbed his shoulder and squeezed gently, smiling at him.

'**No,' he hissed, 'I've waited too long —'**

**The fingers tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew. Then he saw Hermione's foot swing out of nowhere.'**

'Go Hermione!' shouted the twins, smiling.

Black let go of Harry with a grunt of pain;

**Ron had thrown himself on Black's wand hand and Harry heard a faint clatter — **

**He fought free of the tangle of bodies and saw his own wand rolling across the floor; he threw himself toward it but **

'**Argh!' **

**Crookshanks had joined the fray; both sets of front claws had sunk themselves deep into Harry's arm; Harry threw him off, but Crookshanks now darted toward Harry's wand — **

'**NO YOU DON'T!' roared Harry, and he aimed a kick at Crookshanks that made the cat leap aside, spitting;** **Harry snatched up his wand and turned — **

'**Get out of the way!' he shouted at Ron and Hermione. **

**They didn't need telling twice. Hermione, gasping for breath, her lip bleeding, scrambled aside, snatching up her and Ron's wands. Ron crawled to the four-poster and collapsed onto it, panting, his white face now tinged with green, both hands clutching his broken leg. **

**Black was sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His thin chest rose and fell rapidly as he watched Harry walking slowly nearer, his wand pointing straight at Black's heart. **

'**Going to kill me, Harry?' he whispered. **

**Harry stopped right above him, his wand still pointing at Black's chest, looking down at him. A livid bruise was rising around Black's left eye and his nose was bleeding. **

'**You killed my parents,' said Harry, his voice shaking slightly, but his wand hand quite steady. **

**Black stared up at him out of those sunken eyes. **

'**I don't deny it,' he said very quietly. 'But if you knew the whole story.' **

'**The whole story?' Harry repeated, a furious pounding in his ears. 'You sold them to Voldermort. That's all I need to know.'**

'**You've got to listen to me,' Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. 'You'll regret it if you don't… You don't understand…' **

'**I understand a lot better than you think,' said Harry, and his voice shook more than ever. 'You never heard her, did you? My mum… trying to stop Voldermort killing me… and you did that… you did it…'**

'That's what you hear isn't it Harry?' said Luna, 'When the Dementors are around?' Harry nodded sadly and pity appeared on everyone's faces.

'**Before either of them could say another word, something ginger streaked past Harry; **

**Crookshanks leapt onto Black's chest and settled himself there, right over Black's heart. Black blinked and looked down at the cat. **

'**Get off,' he murmured, trying to push Crookshanks off him. **

**But Crookshanks sank his claws into Black's robes and wouldn't shift. He turned his ugly, squashed face to Harry and looked up at him with those great yellow eyes. To his right, Hermione gave a dry sob. **

**Harry stared down at Black and Crookshanks, his grip tightening on the wand. So what if he had to kill the cat too? It was in league with Black… If it was prepared to die, trying to protect Black, that wasn't Harry's business… If Black wanted to save it, that only proved he cared more for Crookshanks than for Harry's parents… **

**Harry raised the wand. Now was the moment to do it. Now was the moment to avenge his mother and father. He was going to kill Black. He had to kill Black. This was his chance… **

**The seconds lengthened. And still Harry stood frozen there, wand poised, Black staring up at him, Crookshanks on his chest. Ron's ragged breathing came from near the bed; Hermione was quite silent. **

**And then came a new sound — **

**Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor — someone was moving downstairs. **

'**WE'RE UP HERE!' Hermione screamed suddenly. 'WE'RE UP HERE — SIRIUS BLACK — QUICK!'**

**Black made a startled movement that almost dislodged Crookshanks; Harry gripped his wand convulsively — Do it now! said a voice in his head — but the footsteps were thundering up the stairs and Harry still hadn't done it. **

**The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Harry, standing there with his wand covering Black, and then to Black himself, crumpled and bleeding at Harry's feet. **

'**Expelliarmus!' Lupin shouted.**

**Harry's wand flew once more out of his hand; so did the two Hermione was holding. Lupin caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring at Black, who still had Crookshanks lying protectively across his chest. **

**Harry stood there, feeling suddenly empty. He hadn't done it. His nerve had failed him. Black was going to be handed back to the Dementors. Then Lupin spoke, in a very tense voice. **

'**Where is he, Sirius?'**

Everyone turned to look at Lupin. He knew Black? How? He spoke as though they were friends?

'**Harry looked quickly at Lupin. He didn't understand what Lupin meant. Who was Lupin talking about? He turned to look at Black again. **

**Black's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered. **

'**But then…' Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, '… why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless' — Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, '— unless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?'**

**Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin's face, Black nodded. **

'**Professor,' Harry interrupted loudly, 'what's going on —?' **

**But he never finished the question, because what he saw made his voice die in his throat. Lupin was lowering his wand, gazing fixed at Black. The Professor walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother. **

**Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. **

'**I DON'T BELIEVE IT!' Hermione screamed.'**

'**Oooh Hermione's angry!' said the twins, trying to release some of the tension from the let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed. "You — you —" **

"**Hermione —" **

"– **you and him!" **

"**Hermione, calm down —" **

"**I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you —" **

"**Hermione, listen to me, please" Lupin shouted. "I can explain —" **

**Harry could feel himself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of fury. **

"**I trusted you," he shouted at Lupin, his voice wavering, out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!" "You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now — Let me explain…" **

"**NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too — he's a werewolf!'**

Some first years screamed at this, and one girl fainted. He was awoken by Madame Pomfrey. The rest were all calmed down by Professor McGonagall, who then told Dudley to carry on reading.

'**There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale. **

'**Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione,' he said. 'Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead.' An odd shiver passed over his face. 'But I won't deny that I am a werewolf.'**

**Ron made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Lupin made toward him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped, "Get away from me, werewolf!" **

**Lupin stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have you known?" **

'**Ages,' Hermione whispered. 'Since I did Professor Snape's essay…' **

'**He'll be delighted,' said Lupin coolly. 'He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant… Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the Boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?'**

'**Both,' Hermione said quietly. **

**Lupin forced a laugh. **

'**You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione.' **

'**I'm not,' Hermione whispered. 'If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!' **

'**But they already know,' said Lupin. 'At least, the staff do.' **

'**Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf,' Ron gasped. 'Is he mad?'**

'**Some of the staff thought so,' said Lupin. 'He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy –' **

'**AND HE WAS WRONG!' Harry yelled. 'YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!' **

**He was pointing at Black, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand. Crookshanks leapt up beside him and stepped onto his lap, purring. Ron edged away from both of them, dragging his leg. **

'**I have not been helping Sirius,' said Lupin. 'If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look —' **

**He separated Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's wands and threw each back to its owner; Harry caught his, stunned. **

'**There,' said Lupin, sticking his own wand back into his belt 'You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?'**

**Harry didn't know what to think. Was it a trick?'**

'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' yelled Moody, and everyone jumped.

'**If you haven't been helping him,' he said, with a furious glance at Black, 'how did you know he was here?'**

'**The map,' said Lupin. 'The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it –'**

'**You know how to work it?' Harry said suspiciously. **

'**Of course I know how to work it,' said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. 'I helped write it. I'm Moony — that was my friends' nickname for me at school.'**

'You're a Marauder!' yelled the twins again. Lupin chuckled but nodded. The twins smiles grew even wider as they thought about the possibilities of being taught by a real marauder.

'**You wrote —?'**

'**The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?'**

**He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet. **

'**You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry—' **

'**How d'you know about the cloak?' **

"**The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" said Lupin, waving an impatient hand again. "The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else." **

'**What?' said Harry. 'No, we weren't!'**

'**I couldn't believe my eyes,' said Lupin, still pacing, and ignoring Harry's interruption. 'I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you' **

'**No one was with us!' said Harry. **

'**And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black… I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow —' **

'**One of us!' Ron said angrily. **

'**No, Ron,' said Lupin. 'Two of you.'**

**He had stopped his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron. **

'**Do you think I could have a look at the rat?' he said evenly. **

'**What?' said Ron. 'What's Scabbers got to do with it?' **

'**Everything,' said Lupin. 'Could I see him, please?' **

**Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping. Crookshanks stood up on Black's leg and made a soft hissing noise. **

**Lupin moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers. **

'**What?' Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. 'What's my rat got to do with anything?'**

'**That's not a rat,' croaked Sirius Black suddenly. **

'**What d'you mean — of course he's a rat —' **

'**No, he's not,' said Lupin quietly. 'He's a wizard.' **

'**An Animagus,' said Black, 'by the name of Peter Pettigrew.'**

There was silence in the Great Hall.

'Ummm, that's it.' Said Dudley.

'What!'

'But what happens next!'

'Ummm there's another chapter...' said Dudley going slightly red.

'Well them Mr Dursley pass on the book and lets read.' Said McGonagall.

Dudley got up and looked around. Professor Sprout raised her hand and Dudley, smiling gratefully handed her the book. He was about to walk back to his parents when he saw his fathers scowl. He stopped and looked around again. Harry didn't like Dudley but he felt sorry for him, and after all Dudley did just read a book about magic seriously.

'Hey Dudley!' yelled Harry, Dudley turned to look at him. 'Why don't you come over here.' He motioned to where he was sitting. Dudley smiled and waddled over. He stopped in front of Harry and took a deep breath.

'Harry,' he said looking straight into his eyes. 'I just wanna say I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was such a pig and I'm sorry about what I said last summer. I'm sorry for being an idiot. Dad always said I was better than you and I believed him but I've never killed a giant snake.' Harry smiled and Dudley returned it. 'So ummm, yeah I'm sorry.' He looked down and Harry stood up.

'I forgive you Big-D.' Harry said holding out his hand. Dudley shook it and both boys sat down, though Dudley had a hard time doing it.

Hermione smiled at him and Ron nodded obviously not feeling too forgiveful yet.


	4. Chapter 4: The Marauders

**I do not own the Harry Potter books or any if the characters included.**

**This is an individuals thought on how a reading of the books would be taken and is not in any way what J.K Rowling may have envisioned.**

'**Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs **

**It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Then Ron voiced what Harry was thinking. **

'**You're both mental.'**

'**Ridiculous!" said Hermione faintly.'**

Some people were nodding in agreement, especially Fudge and Umbridge. Peter Pettigrew was dead. He was one of the reason's Sirius was in Azkaban.

'**Peter Pettigrew's dead!' said Harry. 'He killed him twelve years ago!' He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively. **

'**I meant to,' he growled, his yellow teeth bared, 'but little Peter got the better of me… not this time, though!'**

**And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg.'**

Sirius flinched backwards at the death glare he was getting from Molly Weasley. Ron gave him a sympathetic look.

'**Sirius, NO!' Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Black away from Ron again, 'WAIT! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain —'**

'**We can explain afterwards!" snarled Black, trying to throw Lupin off. One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape. **

'**They've — got — a — right — to — know — everything!' Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Black. 'Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and Harry — you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!' **

**Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.'**

Ron was muttering darkly under his breath, he was very disgusted about the fact he had kept a grown man as a pet for years. Scabbers was his friend for a long time and he was angry that his friend had betrayed him, even though he was a rat.

"**All right, then," Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…" **

"**You're nutters, both of you," said Ron shakily, looking round at Harry and Hermione for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off." **

**He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers. **

"**You're going to hear me out, Ron," he said quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen." **

"**HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Harry caught him am pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turned to Lupin. **

"**There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he said. "A whole street full of them…" **

"**They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands. **

"**Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Lupin, nodding. "I believed it myself — until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies… Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry." **

**Harry looked down at Ron, and as their eyes met, they agreed, silently: Black and Lupin were both out of their minds.'**

'Gee thanks.' muttered Sirius and Lupin, but they were both smiling. Harry and Ron grinned back.

'**Their story made no sense whatsoever. How could Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must have unhinged Black after all — but why was Lupin playing along with him? **

**Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly. **

'**But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…' **

'**Why can't it be true?' Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with Grindylows. **

'**Because… because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework — the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things… and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list.' **

**Harry had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione put into her homework,'**

Hermione went red at this and a few people laughed at her. The twins smiled hugely and some people on the Ravenclaw table were wondering why she wasn't in _their_ house.

'**when Lupin started to laugh. **

'**Right again, Hermione!' he said. 'But the Ministry never knew that here used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts.' **

'**If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus,' said Black, who was still watching Scabbers's every desperate move. 'I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer.' **

'**All right… but you'll need to help me, Sirius,' said Lupin, 'I only know how it began…' Lupin broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing. **

'**No one there…'**

'**This place is haunted!' said Ron. **

'**It's not,' said Lupin, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. 'The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me.'**

The people who remembered Luna's earlier comment looked over at her, those closest moved away slightly. How did she know!?

'**He pushed his graying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, 'That's where all of this starts — with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitter… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…'**

**He looked sober and tired. Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione, said, 'Shh!' She was watching Lupin very intently. **

'**I as a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week, preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I'm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.'**

'**Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me.' **

'**But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…' Lupin sighed, and looked directly at Harry. 'I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house' — Lupin looked miserably around the room, — 'the tunnel that leads to it — they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous.' **

**Harry couldn't see where this story was going, but he was listening raptly all the same. The only sound apart from Lupin's voice was Scabbers's frightened squeaking. **

'**My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor… Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it… "But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your father, Harry — James Potter.' **

'**Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her… I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth… '**

'**And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi.'**

Some of the Ravenclaws gasped. Becoming an Animagi was extremely difficult, if it had gone wrong...

Some of the younger were excitedly thinking of being able to turn into big dogs or cats before McGonagall spoke;

'Becoming an Animagi, whilst not being born with the gift is extremely dangerous! It can lead to hideous deformities and death if not done correctly. This is why the Ministry are very strict on who can try to learn how to become one and doing so in school can lead to expulsion!' she yelled to the great hall. Immediately the excitement died down and awe spread through the hall. These friends of Lupin's, Pettigrew, Potter and Black must have been great friends if they were willing to take the risks of what they were doing.

'**My dad too?' said Harry, astounded. **

'**Yes, indeed," said Lupin. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong — one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will.' **

'**But how did that help you?' said Hermione, sounding puzzled. **

'**They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals,' said Lupin. **

'**A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them.'**

'**Hurry up, Remus,' snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face. **

'**I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there… well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did… And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs.' **

'**What sort of animal —?' Harry began, but Hermione cut him off. 'That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?' **

'**A thought that still haunts me," said Lupin heavily. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless — carried away with our own cleverness.'**

'**I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course… he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed…'**

Lupin looked guiltily up at the staff table but Dumbledore just chuckled and smiled at him.

'**Lupin's face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it… so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along.'**

'**Snape?' said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers; for the first time in minutes and looking up at Lupin. 'What's Snape got to do with it?' **

'**He's here, Sirius,' said Lupin heavily. 'He's teaching here as well.' He looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. **

'**Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me —'**

**Black made a derisive noise. **

'**It served him right,' he sneered. 'Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled…' **

'**Severus was very interested in where I went every month.' Lupin told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. 'We were in the same year, you know, and we — er — didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field… anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be — er — amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it — if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf — but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was…" "So that's why Snape doesn't like you,' said Harry slowly, 'because he thought you were in on the joke?'**

'**That's right,' sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin. **

**Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.'**

'Well that's the end of the chapter.' Said Professor Sprout merrily. 'Would anyone like to read next?'

Molly Weasley put up her hand and Professor Sprout levitated the book over to her.


	5. Chapter 5: The Servant of Lord Voldemort

**I do not own the Harry Potter books or any if the characters included.**

**This is an individuals thought on how a reading of the books would be taken and is not in any way what J.K Rowling may have envisioned.**

**(Just want to thank RoseNight3 for being my first review and for giving me a few tips. Thank You! ** **)**

'**The Servant of Lord Voldermort'**

Molly Weasely stuttered over the last word. Most in the hall flinched at the name. Harry was shocked at Mrs Weasley. He had not expected her to be able to speak his name, as he and some others did without a thought. Umbridge had fallen off her chair again and Fudge looked very pale, Harry was trying to suppress his laughter at their faces.

Mrs Weasley shook herself slightly spoke again, this time with more confidence.

'**Hermione screamed. Black leapt to his feet. Harry felt as though he'd received a huge electric shock. **

'**I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow,' said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this wand pointing directly at Lupin's chest. 'Very useful, Potter, I thank you…' Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. 'You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?' he said, his eyes glittering. 'I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight.' **

'**Severus —' Lupin began, but Snape overrode him. **

'**I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout —' **

'**Severus, you're making a mistake,' said Lupin urgently. 'You haven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here to kill Harry —'**

'**Two more for Azkaban tonight,' said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. 'I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this… He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a tame werewolf —' **

'**You fool,' said Lupin softly. 'Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?'**

**BANG! Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles.'**

The great hall was filled with gasps and everyone turned to give Snape the death glare. He sneered in response. He wasn't upset about what he did but he didn't want to say anything that would mean he wouldn't get to find out who freed Black. He knew it was Potter and that Granger girl and now he was going to get the evidence to prove it!

'**he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move. With a roar of rage, Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes. **

'**Give me a reason,' he whispered. 'Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will.' **

**Black stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred. Harry stood there, paralyzed, not knowing what to do or whom to believe. He glanced around at Ron and Hermione. Ron looked just as confused as he did, still fighting to keep hold on the struggling Scabbers. Hermione, however, took an uncertain step toward Snape and said, in a very breathless voice, **

'**Professor Snape — it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?' **

'**Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat. "You, Potter, and Weasley are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue.' **

'**But if — if there was a mistake —' **

'**KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!'**

'Severus that is no way to speak to students!' said McGongall angrily. Snape face looked as though he couldn't have cared less about what she thought but he caught the headmasters eye and nodded stiffly.

' **Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. 'DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!' A few sparks shot out of the end of his wand, which was still pointed at Black's face. Hermione fell silent. **

'**Vengeance is very sweet,' Snape breathed at Black. 'How I hoped I would be the one to catch you…'**

'**The joke's on you again, Severus,' Black snarled. 'As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle" — he jerked his head at Ron — "I'll come quietly…' **

'**Up to the castle?' said Snape silkily. 'I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the Dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black… pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay… I —'**

'That's sick!' yelled Dean Thomas. The glares continued at Snape.

**What little color there was in Black's face left it. **

'**You — you've got to hear me out," he croaked. "The rat — look at the rat —" **

**But there was a mad glint in Snape's eyes that Harry had never seen before. He seemed beyond reason. **

'**Come on, all of you,' he said. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Lupin flew to his hands. 'I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the Dementors will have a kiss for him too —'**

Tonks hair was turning redder and redder. She was shaking violently and staring straight at Snape.

'Why you-' Tonks started saying but Lupin put up a sound barrier. The rest of her words were lost behind it though the entire hall could see her screaming blue murder at Snape, even he looked slightly nervous of the woman. After about five minutes she stopped speaking and she looked pointedly at Lupin. He put down the barrier and she, whilst still shaking, nodded at Mrs Weasely to keep speaking.

'**Before he knew what he was doing, Harry had crossed the room in three strides and blocked the door. **

'**Get out of the way, Potter, you're in enough trouble already,' snarled Snape. 'If I hadn't been here to save your skin —' **

'**Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year,' Harry said. 'I've been alone with him loads of times, having defence lessons against the Dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?' **

'**Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works,' hissed Snape. 'Get out of the way, Potter.'**

'**YOU'RE PATHETIC!' Harry yelled. 'JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN —' **

'**SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!' Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever. 'Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black'**

Dark muttering broke out across the hall. Dumbledore gave Snape a glance. He knew Snape had grown to dislike James but to talk about his death in such a indifferent and almost smug way was a low blow by all accounts.

Sirius was growling softly next to Harry and Harry saw Dudley move away slightly at the mans anger.

' — **now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!' **

**Harry made up his mind in a split second. Before Snape could take even one step toward him, he had raised his wand. **

'**Expelliarmus!' he yelled — except that his wasn't the only voice that shouted. There was a blast that made the door rattle on its hinges; Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. He had been knocked out. **

**Harry looked around. Both Ron and Hermione had tried to disarm Snape at exactly the same moment.'**

'You attacked a teacher did you?' asked a high girly voice. Umbridge was looking smug. Slowly all three nodded. 'Tut tut. We can't be having that now can we? I think expulsions are in order, don't you Headmaster?' she looked pointedly at Dumbledore but he was smiling.

'This attack occurred in the past. The teacher in question did not file a complaint and I believe the children were punished enough. Mr Weasely broke his leg and Mr Potter and Miss Granger... well they are punished later on.'

The three in question let out their breath. Dumbledore wasn't going to punish them, but they all new Umbridge wouldn't stop until they were expelled now.

'**Snape's wand soared in a high arc and landed on the bed next to Crookshanks. **

'**You shouldn't have done that,' said Black, looking at Harry. 'You should have left him to me…'**

**Harry avoided Black's eyes. He wasn't sure, even now, that he'd done the right thing. **

'**We attacked a teacher… We attacked a teacher…' Hermione whimpered, staring at the lifeless **

**Snape with frightened eyes. 'Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble —' **

'Typical Hermione!' laughed the twins making Hermione go even redder.

'**Lupin was struggling against his bonds. Black bent down quickly and untied him. Lupin **

**straightened up, rubbing his arms where the ropes had cut into them. **

'**Thank you, Harry,' he said. **

'**I'm still not saying I believe you,' he told Lupin. **

'**Then it's time we offered you some proof,' said Lupin. 'You, boy — give me Peter, please. Now.' **

**Ron clutched Scabbers closer to his chest. **

'**Come off it,' he said weakly. 'Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? I mean…' He looked up at Harry and Hermione for support, 'Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat — there are millions of rats — how's he supposed to know which one he is after if he was locked up in Azkaban?' **

Some people nodded with Ron in agreement, especially Fudge and Umbridge.

'**You know, Sirius, that's a fair question,' said Lupin, turning to Black and frowning slightly. 'How did you find out where he was?'**

**Black put one of his claw-like hands inside his robes and took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out to show the others. **

**It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers. **

'**How did you get this?' Lupin asked Black, thunderstruck. **

'**Fudge,' said Black. 'When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page on this boy's shoulder… I knew him at once… how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts… to where Harry was…' **

"**My God," said Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. **

"**His front paw…" **

'**What about it?' said Ron defiantly. **

'**He's got a toe missing,' said Black. **

'**Of course,' Lupin breathed. 'So simple… so brilliant… he cut it off himself?' **

A couple of gasps went round the room. Who in their right mind would cut off their own finger?

'**Just before he transformed,' said Black. 'When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself — and sped down into the sewer with the other rats…'**

A few murmurs went through the crowd. They had all heard Pettigrew story and no-one had ever assumed that there could have been a different side. A few pitying glances were sent to Sirius. If this story was true he'd spent twelve years in Azkaban for a crime he never committed and the person who had committed it had been an old friend. No wonder he was angry.

'**Didn't you ever hear, Ron?' said Lupin. 'The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger.' **

'**Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right —' **

'**Twelve years, in fact,' said Lupin. 'Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?'**

The Weasely's frowned at each other wondering how they had missed the fact that a common rat had lived so long.

Percy Weasley was standing next to Fudge. He was happy with his new position but was slightly ashamed he'd never figured it out either, just like he hadn't figured out what was wrong with Mr Crouch.

'**We — we've been taking good care of him!' said Ron. **

'**Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?' said Lupin. 'I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…' **

'**He's been scared of that mad cat!' said Ron, nodding toward Crookshanks, who was still purring on the bed. **

**But that wasn't right, Harry thought suddenly… Scabbers had been looking ill before he met Crookshanks… ever since Ron's return from Egypt… since the time when Black had escaped…**

'Jeez Harry its taking you long enough isn't it!' laughed Fred.

Harry smiled, he new Fred was trying to ease the tension in the room. The twins were good at calming people down in bad situations, that's why he thought them owning a joke shop would be a good idea.

'**This cat isn't mad,' said Black hoarsely. He reached out a bony hand and stroked Crookshanks's fluffy head. 'He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me… Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me…' **

'**What do you mean?' breathed Hermione. **

'**He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't… so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me… As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table…'**

'Longbottom,' said McGonagall, she looked slightly flustered. Neville jumped slightly and turned to look at his Head of House. 'I feel I should apologise. I cannot undo the punishment I gave you but it seems I was too hasty to judge. I ask for your forgiveness for my mistake.'

'I-it's alright Professor.' Said Neville weakely. 'I thought I deserved it too.' He smiled and McGonagall smiled back, glad that he wasn't angry at her for punishing him for something he didn't do.

'**Harry's brain seemed to be sagging under the weight of what he was hearing. It was absurd… and yet… **

'**But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it.' croaked Black. 'This cat — Crookshanks, did you call him? — told me Peter had left blood on the sheets… I supposed he bit himself… Well, faking his own death had worked once.' **

**These words jolted Harry to his senses. **

'**And why did he fake his death?' he said furiously. 'Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!' **

'**No,' said Lupin, 'Harry—' **

'**And now you've come to finish him off!' **

'**Yes, I have,' said Black, with an evil look at Scabbers. **

'**Then I should've let Snape take you!' Harry shouted. **

'**Harry,' said Lupin hurriedly, 'don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down — but it was the other way around, don't you see? Peter betrayed your mother and father — Sirius tracked Peter down —' **

'**THAT'S NOT TRUE!' Harry yelled. 'HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP. HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!'**

Hermione and Ron flinched away, remembering when Harry had shouted at them last Summer. Harry also remembering smiled apologetically at them and Sirius and was glad that they returned the gesture.

'**He was pointing at Black, who shook his head slowly; the sunken eyes were suddenly over bright. **

'**Harry… I as good as killed them,' he croaked. 'I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me… I'm to blame, I know it… The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies… I realized what Peter must've done… what I'd done…'**

Some of the girls began to cry at this. Madame Pomfrey who remembered Lily and James and even Peter was appalled at what he had done and was openly sobbing into Professor Flitwicks chest.

Umbridge wasn't doing anything; these books were turning out as she hoped. They were supposed to prove Harry a dislikeable liar but so far they had made Harry even_ more_ likeable and was now proving the innocence of a criminal. It was definitely wasn't going as planned.

'**His voice broke. He turned away. **

'**Enough of this,' said Lupin, and there was a steely note in his voice Harry had never heard before. 'There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, give me that rat.' **

'**What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?' Ron asked Lupin tensely. **

'**Force him to show himself,' said Lupin. 'If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him.' **

**Ron hesitated. Then at long last, he held out Scabbers and Lupin took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head.**

'**Ready, Sirius?' said Lupin. **

**Black had already retrieved Snape's wand from the bed. He approached Lupin and the struggling rat, and his wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face. **

'**Together?' he said quietly. **

'**I think so', said Lupin, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. 'On the count of three. One — two — THREE!' **

**A flash of blue-white light erupted from both wands; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in midair, his small gray form twisting madly — Ron yelled — the rat fell and hit the floor. There was another blinding flash of light and then — **

**It was like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands. Crookshanks was spitting and snarling on the bed; the hair on his back was standing up. **

**He was a very short man, hardly taller than Harry and Hermione. His thin, colorless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top. He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers's fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes. He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow. Harry saw his eyes dart to the door and back again.'**

The hall was silent.

'You were telling the truth?' said Zabini Blaise.

'I do that quite often and yet people are always so surprised.' Said Sirius, earning a few sniggers in response.

'**Well, hello, Peter,' said Lupin pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends around him. 'Long time, no see.' **

'**S—Sirius… R—Remus…' Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. 'My friends… my old friends…'**

**Black's wand arm rose, but Lupin seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning took, then turned again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual. **

'**We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed —' **

'**Remus,' gasped Pettigrew, and Harry could see beads of sweat breaking out over his pasty face, 'you don't believe him, do you…? He tried to kill me, Remus…' **

'**So we've heard,' said Lupin, more coldly. 'I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'll be so —' **

'**He's come to try and kill me again!' Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at Black, and Harry saw that he used his middle finger, because his index was missing. 'He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too… You've got to help me, Remus…' Black's face looked more skull-like than ever as he stared at Pettigrew with his fathomless eyes. **

'**No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out,' said Lupin. **

'**Sorted things out?' squealed Pettigrew, looking wildly about him once more, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door.'**

'He's looking for an escape route.' Said Dudley.

Harry who was shocked at how quickly Dudley had realised this nodded his head slowly. The Dudley he knew would have been much too stupid to figure that out and yet he had.

'**I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!" **

'**You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?' said Lupin, his brow furrowed. 'When nobody has ever done it before?' **

'**He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!' Pettigrew shouted shrilly. 'How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!'**

**Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room. **

'**Voldemort, teach me tricks?' he said.'**

Everyone flinched again and Harry rolled his eyes, seriously it was a name! Even the Slytherin's flinched at it. The Dursley's didn't but he hadn't expected them too, after all they were Muggles and had no idea who Voldermort was or what he was capable of. Except for maybe Petunia but she wasn't looking his way so he couldn't be sure of she was scared too or not.

**Pettigrew flinched as though Black had brandished a whip at him. **

'**What, scared to hear your old master's name?' said Black. 'I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?' **

'**Don't know what you mean, Sirius —' muttered Pettigrew, his breathing faster than ever. His whole face was shining with sweat now. **

'**You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years,' said Black. 'You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter… They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them… I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways. If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter —' **

'**Don't know… what you're talking about…' said Pettigrew again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Lupin. 'You don't believe this — this madness, Remus —' **

'**I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat,' said Lupin evenly. **

'**Innocent, but scared!' squealed Pettigrew. 'If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban — the spy, Sirius Black!'**

A few Slytherin's snorted. That was the worst excuse ever. Lucius Malfoy was thinking of just how much he would like meet Pettigrew _alone_ but he knew the man was valued by the Dark Lord. He had brought him back and his wife or son could be harmed if Lucius attacked him. Lucius had to stay in the Dark Lords favour to keep Draco safe, his son must not become a Deatheater. He just couldn't.

'**Black's face contorted. **

**How dare you,' he growled, sounding suddenly like the bearsized dog he had been. 'I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter — I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus… and James…' **

**Pettigrew wiped his face again; he was almost panting for breath. **

'**Me, a spy… must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a —' **

'**Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it,' Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. 'I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff… Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you… It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters.'**

**Pettigrew was muttering distractedly; Harry caught words like "far-fetched" and "lunacy," but he couldn't help paying more attention to the ashen colour of Pettigrew's face and the way his eyes continued to dart toward the windows and door.'**

'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' yelled Moody making Tonks fall of her chair and Mrs Weasely drop the book.

'Jeez Mad-eye,' said Tonks rubbing her head as she stood back up, 'Are you trying to give us all bloomin' heart attacks.'

Moody simply chuckled, his magical eye revolving around in his head.

'**Professor Lupin?' said Hermione timidly. 'Can — can I say something?' **

'**Certainly, Hermione,' said Lupin courteously. **

'**Well — Scabbers — I mean, this — this man — he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?' **

'**There!' said Pettigrew shrilly, pointing at Ron with his maimed hand. 'Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Harry's head! Why should I?'**

'**I'll tell you why,' said Black. **

'**Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him…' **

**Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk. **

'**Er — Mr. Black — Sirius?' said Hermione. **

**Black jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anything quite like her. '**

'Reminded me of being back at Hogwarts,' said Black smiling at Hermione. 'Never had anyone be so polite to me since then. Hermione smiled back at him.

"**If you don't mind me asking, how — how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?" **

"**Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I —" But Lupin silenced him with a look. **

**Black was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he were annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer. **

"**I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn't suck it out of me… but it kept me sane and knowing who I am… helped me keep my powers… so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell… become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know…" He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions… They could tell that my feelings were less — less human, less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand… **

"**But then I saw Peter in that picture… I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry… perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again…" Pettigrew was shaking his head, mouthing noiselessly, but staring all the while at Black as though hypnotized. **

"… **ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies… and to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honors… **

"**So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive…" **

**Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had told Mrs. Wealsey. "The guards say he's been talking in his sleep… always the same words… 'He's at Hogwarts.'" **

"**It was as if someone had lit a fire In my head, and the Dementors couldn't destroy it… It wasn't a happy feeling… it was an obsession… but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog… It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused… I was thin, very thin… thin enough to slip through the bars… I swam as a dog back to the mainland… I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Harry…" **

**He looked at Harry, who did not look away. **

"**Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them." **

**And at long last, Harry believed him.'**

'Finally it-'

'Took-'

'You-'

'Long-'

'Enough-'

'Harry!' said the twins smirking at Harry. The hall laughed and Harry was happy tha the tension had eased slightly. He laughed along with everyone else and even Mrs Weasley cracked a smile at her sons. Perhaps their joke shop idea wasn't too bad?

'**Throat too tight to speak, he nodded. **

'**No!'**

**Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward on his knees, grovelling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying. **

'**Sirius — it's me… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't —' **

**Black kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled. **

'**There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them,' said Black. **

'**Remus!' Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. 'You don't believe this — wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?' **

'**Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter,' said Lupin. 'I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually over Pettigrew's head. **

'**Forgive me, Remus,' said Black. **

'**Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeves. 'And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?' **

'**Of course,' said Black, and the ghost of a grin flitted across his gaunt face. He, too, began rolling up his sleeves. 'Shall we kill him together?' **

'**Yes, I think so,' said Lupin grimly. **

'**You wouldn't… you won't…' gasped Pettigrew. And he scrambled around to Ron. 'Ron… haven't I been a good friend… a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you… you're on my side, aren't you?' **

**But Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion. **

'**I let you sleep in my bed!' he said.'**

'Ewwww' said most of the girls and Ron's ears went bright red as he sunk in his seat.

'**Kind boy… kind master…' Pettigrew crawled toward Ron 'You won't let them do it… I was your rat… I was a good pet…' **

'**If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter,' said Black harshly.**

**Ron, going still paler with pain, wrenched his broken leg out of Pettigrew's reach. Pettigrew turned on his knees, staggered forward, and seized the hem of Hermione's robes.'**

'LEAVE HER ALONE!' yelled the Weasely boy's, glaring at the book. Hermione blushed. She was touched that they all cared so much for her.

'**Sweet girl… clever girl… you — you won't let them… Help me…' **

**Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching hands and backed away against the wall, looking horrified. **

**Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his head slowly toward Harry. **

'**Harry… Harry… you look just like your father… just like him…'**

'**HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?' roared Black. 'HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?' **

'**Harry,' whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward him, hands outstretched. 'Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed… James would have understood, Harry… he would have shown me mercy…' **

**Both Black and Lupin strode forward, seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them. **

'**You sold Lily and James to Voldemort,' said Black, who was shaking too. 'Do you deny it?' Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch, like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor. **

'**Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine… I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me —'**

'**DON'T LIE!' bellowed Black. 'YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!'**

'**He — he was taking over everywhere!' gasped Pettigrew. 'Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?'**

"**What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!" **

"**You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!" **

"**THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!'**

'Would you have?' asked Bill. Sirius turned to him looking angry and ashamed.

'Yes... before I knew... he was a friend and I would've died. Just like I WOULD HAVE DIED FOR Remus or James. But now? No, I would kill him myself if I ever saw that rat again!' Sirius growled fiercely. Bill nodded solemnly, understanding what Sirius meant.

'**Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised.**

'**You should have realised,' said Lupin quietly, 'If Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter'**

**Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall. **

'**NO!' Harry yelled. He ran forward, placing himself in front Pettigrew, facing the wands. 'You can't kill him,' he said breathlessly. 'You can't.' **

**Black and Lupin both looked staggered. **

'**Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents,' Black snarled. 'This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family.' **

'**I know,' Harry panted. 'We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the Dementors… He can go to Azkaban… but don't kill him.' **

'**Harry!' gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry's knees. 'You — thank you — it's more than I deserve — thank you —' **

'**Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. 'I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because — I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers — just for you.'**

Lupin and Sirius smiled, they hadn't really understood Harry at the time but now that they weren't so angry they did. Harry was protecting them not Pettigrew, it made them both smile to think of what James would have said and they knew in their hearts Harry was right about him.

'**No one moved or made a sound except for Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Black and Lupin were looking at each other. Then, with one movement, they lowered their wands.**

'**You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry,' said Black. 'But think... think what he did...'**

'**He can go to Azkaban,' Harry repeated. 'If anyone deserves that place, he does...'**

**Pettigrew was still wheezing behind him.**

'**Very well,' said Lupin. 'Stand aside, Harry.'**

**Harry hesitated.'**

'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' barked Mad-eye making those nearest fall off their chairs again.

'**I'm going to tie him up,' said Lupin. 'That's all, I swear.'**

**Harry stepped out of the way. Thin cord shot from Lupin's wand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.**

'**But if you transform, Peter,' growled Black, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew too, 'we will kill you. You agree, Harry?'**

**Harry looked down at the pitiful figure on the floor, and nodded so that Pettigrew could see him.**

'**Right,' said Lupin, suddenly business-like. 'Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madame Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the Hospital wing.'**

**He hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg with his wand and muttered, 'Ferula.' Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on his leg and didn't wince.**

'**That's better,' he said. 'Thanks.'**

'**What about Professor Snape?'**

Some people jumped, they'd forgotten he was even there. A few snickers went through-out the room at the memory of how he'd ended up the way he was.

'**Said Hermione in a small voice, looking down a Snape's prone figure.**

'**There's nothing wrong with him,' said Lupin, bending over Snape and checking his pulse. 'You were just a little –over-enthusiastic. Still out cold. Er-perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safely back at the castle. We can take him like this...'**

**He muttered, 'Mobilicorpus.' As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck and knees, he was pulled into a standing position, head still lolling unpleasantly, like a grotesque puppet. He was hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. Lu[in picked up the invisibility cloak and tucked it safely into his pocket.**

'**And two of us should be chained to this,' said Black, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. 'Just in case.'**

'**I'll do it.' Said Lupin.**

'**And me,' said Ron savagely, limping forward.**

**Black conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Lupin's right, right arm to Ron's left. Ron's face was set. He seemed to have taken Scabbers's true identity as a personal insult. Crookshanks leapt lightly off the bed and led way out of the room, his bottle-brush tail held jauntily high.'**

'That's it.' Said Mrs. Weasley.

'What!'

'But what happens next!' All eyes swivelled round to the five people who had been there.

'Well... um- Pettigrew escaped because Lupin transformed as it was a full moon. Um- then Sirius was attacked by Dementors and Harry and Hermione tried to save him and then we were all taken to the Hospital wing by Snape.' Said Ron. Everyone looked more confused than ever but decided to drop it. Thinking about their own version of events instead.

'Well that was all very interesting. I believe now though some lunch is in order. So enjoy.' At Dumbledore's words food appeared on the table, and everyone began to tuck in, realising just how hungry they were.


End file.
